Array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, liquid crystal display panel and display device

ABSTRACT

An array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, a liquid crystal display panel and a display device are provided, the array substrate comprises a base substrate, and thin film transistors and pixel electrodes provided on the base substrate, the pixel electrode and the active layer in the thin film transistor are provided in the same layer. The active layer is formed of transparent oxide semiconductor material, and the concentration of carriers in the oxide semiconductor material may be increased by performing a plasma process on the oxide semiconductor material, thus the pixel electrode may be manufactured by using the oxide semiconductor material used for manufacturing the active layer, thereby the pixel electrode and the active layer can be provided in the same layer, the number of the masks can be reduced, the manufacturing process is simplified, production cost is saved, the productivity is increased, and the manufacturing time is shortened.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of display technology, andparticularly, to an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof,and a liquid crystal display panel and a display device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A liquid crystal display panel comprises an array substrate, an oppositesubstrate and a liquid crystal layer between the array substrate and theopposite substrate, wherein the array substrate is provide with thinfilm transistors and pixel electrodes on one side thereof facing to theliquid crystal layer. The thin film transistor generally comprises agate, an active layer, a source and a drain. Specifically, the structureof a thin film transistor may be of a bottom-gate type or a top-gatetype, taking the structure of bottom gate type as an example, as shownin FIG. 1, the thin film transistor comprises a base substrate 1, and agate 2, a gate insulation layer 3, an active layer 4, an etchingblocking layer 5, a source 6, a drain 7, an insulation layer 8 and apixel electrode 9 which are sequentially formed on the base substrate 1.

No matter an array substrate is an array substrate of bottom-gate typeor an array substrate of top-gate type, components need to be patternedusing a mask plate during manufacturing thereof at least comprises apattern of gate, a pattern of active layer, a pattern of etchingblocking layer, a pattern of source and drain, a pattern of insulatinglayer and a pattern of pixel electrodes. Therefore, six mask patterningprocesses are needed for manufacturing the above array substrate, thusthe manufacturing process is complicated, the number of themanufacturing procedures is large, the cost is high, and the timeconsumption is long.

Hence, how to simplify the manufacturing process of the array substrateis a problem to be solved by persons skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide an array substrate and amanufacturing thereof, a liquid crystal display panel and a displaydevice, which can simplify the manufacturing process of the arraysubstrate.

An embodiment of the invention provides an array substrate comprising abase substrate, and thin film transistors and pixel electrodes providedon the base substrate, wherein the thin film transistor comprises a gateand an active layer which are insulated from each other, and a drain anda source which are electrically connected to the active layer, a pixelelectrode is electrically connected to a drain, wherein

the pixel electrode and the active layer are provided in the same layer,the material forming the active layer is transparent oxide semiconductormaterial, the material forming the pixel electrode is a materialobtained by performing plasma treatment on the transparent oxidesemiconductor material.

In the above array substrate in the embodiment of the invention, theactive layer is formed of transparent oxide semiconductor material. Theconcentration of carriers in the oxide semiconductor material may beincreased by performing a plasma process on the oxide semiconductormaterial, thus the pixel electrode may be manufactured by using theoxide semiconductor material used for manufacturing the active layer,thereby the pixel electrode and the active layer can be provided in thesame layer. As such, when the array substrate is manufactured, no newpatterning process for manufacturing the pixel electrode is required,and the active layer and the pixel electrode can be manufacturedsimultaneously by only changing pattern of corresponding film layer,thus the number of the masks can be reduced, the manufacturing processis simplified, the production cost is saved, the productivity isincreased, and the manufacturing time is shortened.

Specifically, in order to facilate to implement, in the array substrateaccording to the embodiment in the invention, in the thin filmtransistor:

the active layer is provided above the drain and the source; and

both of the drain and the source are provided above the gate.

Alternatively, in order to facilate to implement, in the array substrateaccording to the embodiment in the invention, in the thin filmtransistor:

the active layer is provided above the drain and the source; and

the gate is provided above the active layer.

Alternatively, in order to facilate to implement, in the array substrateaccording to the embodiment in the invention, in the thin filmtransistor:

both of the drain and the source are provided above the active layer;and

the gate is provided below the active layer.

Alternatively, in order to facilate to implement, in the array substrateaccording to the embodiment in the invention, in the thin filmtransistor:

both of the drain and the source are provided above the active layer;and

the gate is provided above the drain and the source.

Preferably, in order to avoid the damage of the oxide active layer belowthe source and the drain in a patterning process for forming the sourceand the drain, the array substrate according to the embodiment furthercomprises an etching blocking layer between the source and the drain andthe active layer.

Furthermore, the array substrate according to the embodiment furthercomprises a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrodes.

Embodiment of the invention also provides a liquid crystal display panelcomprising the array substrate according to the embodiment in theinvention.

Embodiment of the invention also provides a display device comprisingthe liquid crystal display panel according to the embodiment in theinvention.

Embodiment of the invention also provides a manufacturing method of anyone of above array substrates according to the embodiment in theinvention, which comprises:

forming a pattern including thin film transistors and pixel electrodeson a base substrate;

a pattern including active layers of the thin film transistors and pixelelectrodes is formed by using a single patterning process; and

a plasma treatment is performed on the pattern of the pixel electrodes.

In the manufacturing method of above array substrate according toembodiment in the invention, as the pattern including active layers ofthe thin film transistors and pixel electrodes is formed by using asingle patterning process, compared to the manufacturing method of arraysubstrate in the prior art, no new patterning process for manufacturingthe pixel electrode is required, and the active layer and the pixelelectrode can be manufactured simultaneously by only changing pattern ofcorresponding film layer, thus the number of the masks can be reduced,the manufacturing process is simplified, the production cost is saved,the productivity is increased, and the manufacturing time is shortened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram illustrating an array substrate in theprior art.

FIG. 2 a to FIG. 2 d are structural diagrams illustrating an arraysubstrate according to the embodiment of the invention respectively.

FIG. 3 a to FIG. 3 d are side views illustrating steps in amanufacturing method of the array substrate according to an embodimentof the invention respectively.

FIG. 4 a to FIG. 4 d are top views illustrating steps in a manufacturingmethod of the array substrate according to an embodiment of theinvention respectively.

FIG. 5 a to FIG. 5 e are side views illustrating specific steps of step(4) in the manufacturing method of the array substrate according to theembodiment of the invention respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Implementations of an array substrate and a manufacturing methodthereof, a liquid crystal panel and a display device of the inventionwill be described in detail below in conjunction with drawings.

The size and shape of each of film layers in the drawings do not reflectan actual proportion of the array substrate, and the drawings justillustrate partial structure of the array substrate and are only used toexemplify the invention.

An embodiment of the invention provides an array substrate, and onepixel unit in the array substrate will be described as an example below,as shown in FIG. 2 a to FIG. 2 d, the array substrate comprises a basesubstrate 01, and a thin film transistor 02 and a pixel electrode 03formed on the base substrate 01, wherein the thin film transistor 02comprises a gate 021 and an active layer 022 which are insulated fromeach other, and a source 023 and a drain 024 electrically connected tothe active layer 022 respectively. The source 023 is electricallyconnected to the drain 024.

The pixel electrode 03 and the active layer 022 are provided in the samelayer, the active layer 022 is formed of transparent oxide semiconductormaterial, and the pixel electrode 03 is formed of the transparent oxidesemiconductor material subjected to a plasma treatment.

Specifically, in the above array substrate in the embodiment of theinvention, as shown in FIG. 2 a to FIG. 2 d, insulation between the gate021 and the active layer 022 may be achieved by providing a gateinsulating layer 04 therebetween.

In the above array substrate in the embodiment of the invention, theactive layer is formed of transparent oxide semiconductor material. Theconcentration of carriers in the oxide semiconductor material may beincreased by performing a plasma process on the oxide semiconductormaterial, thus the pixel electrode may be manufactured by using theoxide semiconductor material used for manufacturing the active layer,thereby the pixel electrode and the active layer can be provided in thesame layer. As such, when the array substrate is manufactured, no newpatterning process for manufacturing the pixel electrode is required,and the active layer and the pixel electrode can be manufacturedsimultaneously by only changing pattern of corresponding film layer,thus the number of the masks can be reduced, the manufacturing processis simplified, the production cost is saved, the productivity isincreased, and the manufacturing time is shortened.

Preferably, in the above array substrate in the embodiment of theinvention, the active layer may be made of Indium gallium zinc oxide(IGZO), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Indium zinc oxide (IZO) or Tin indium zincoxide (ITZO), of course, the active layer may be made of othermaterials, which is not limited herein, as long as solutions of theinvention can be realized.

In implementing, in the above array substrate in the embodiment of theinvention, as shown in FIG. 2 a and FIG. 2 b, an active layer 022 may beprovided above a source 023 and a drain 024, therefore, manufacturing ofan etching blocking layer can be omitted, thus a patterning process forforming the pattern of the etching blocking layer can be cancelled,thereby the number of masks can be reduced, the manufacturing procedurecan be simplified, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, theproductivity can be increased, and the manufacturing time can beshortened. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 a, the thin film transistor02 may be of bottom-gate-type structure, that is, in the thin filmtransistor 02, both of the source 023 and the drain 024 are above thegate 021. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2 b, the thin film transistor02 may be of top-gate-type structure, that is, in the thin filmtransistor 02, the gate 021 is above the active layer 022.

Of course, in implementing, in the above array substrate in theembodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2 c and FIG. 2 d, both ofthe source 023 and the drain 024 may also be provided above the activelayer 022. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 c, the thin film transistor02 may be of bottom-gate-type structure, that is, in the thin filmtransistor 02, the gate 021 is below the active layer 022.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2 d, the thin film transistor 02 may beof top-gate-type structure, that is, in the thin film transistor 02, thegate 021 is above the source 023 and the drain 024.

Preferably, in the above array substrate in the embodiment of theinvention, in a case of both of the source 023 and the drain 024 beingabove the active layer 022, as shown in FIG. 2 c and FIG. 2 d, in orderto avoid the damage of the oxide active layer 022 below the source 023and the drain 024 in a patterning process for forming the source 023 andthe drain 024, the array substrate may further comprises an etchingblocking layer 05 provided between the source 023 and the drain 024 andthe active layer 022.

Further, the above array substrate according to the embodiment in theinvention may be applied to liquid crystal display panel ofAdvanced-Super Dimensional Switching type and liquid crystal displaypanel of In-Plane Switching type, that is, the above array substrate mayfurther comprise a common electrode insulated from the pixel electrode03. Alternatively, the above array substrate according to the embodimentin the invention may also be applied to liquid crystal display panel ofTwisted Nematic type, which is not limited herein.

Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the inventionfurther provides a liquid crystal display panel, which comprises thearray substrate according to the embodiment in the invention, personsskilled in the art should understand that other constituent partsnecessary for the liquid crystal display panel are also provided in theliquid crystal display panel, which should not be understood aslimitation to the invention and description of which is omitted herein.Implementation of the liquid crystal display panel can refer to that ofthe above array substrate, and which is not repeatedly described herein.

Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the inventionalso provides a display device, which comprises the above liquid crystaldisplay panel according to the embodiment in the invention, the displaydevice may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a TV, a display, anotebook computer, a digital image frame, a navigator and any otherproduct or component with display function. Persons skilled in the artshould understand that other constituent parts necessary for the displaydevice are also provided in the display device, which should not beunderstood as limitation to the invention and description of which isomitted herein. Implementation of the display device can refer to thatof the above liquid crystal display panel, which is not repeatedlydescribed herein.

Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the inventionalso provides a manufacturing method of any one of above arraysubstrates, which comprises:

forming a pattern including thin film transistors and pixel electrodeson a base substrate;

a pattern including active layers of the thin film transistors and pixelelectrodes is formed by using a single patterning process; and

a plasma treatment is performed on the pattern of the pixel electrodesso as to increase the concentration of the carriers in the pixelelectrodes.

In the manufacturing method of above array substrate according toembodiment in the invention, as the pattern including active layers ofthe thin film transistors and pixel electrodes is formed by using asingle patterning process, compared to the manufacturing method of arraysubstrate in the prior art, no new patterning process for manufacturingthe pixel electrode is required, and the active layer and the pixelelectrode can be manufactured simultaneously by only changing pattern ofcorresponding film layer, thus the number of the masks can be reduced,the manufacturing process is simplified, the production cost is saved,the productivity is increased, and the manufacturing time is shortened.

Preferably, in order to further decrease the number of masks so as toreduce manufacturing cost, in the manufacturing method according to theembodiment in the invention, before forming the pattern of the activelayer in the thin film transistor, the pattern including the source andthe drain may be first formed, thus manufacturing of an etching blockinglayer can be omitted, thus a patterning process for forming the patternof the etching blocking layer can be cancelled, thereby the number ofmasks can be further reduced, the manufacturing procedure can besimplified, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, the productivity canbe increased, and the manufacturing time can be shortened.

Hereinafter, description of the manufacturing method of above arraysubstrate will be explained by taking manufacturing the array substrateshown in FIG. 2 a as an example.

Specifically, the procedure of manufacturing the array substrate shownin FIG. 2 a may comprise following steps:

-   -   (1) forming a pattern of gate 021 on a base substrate 01, as        shown in FIG. 3 a and FIG. 4 a;    -   (2) depositing a gate insulating layer 04 above the gate 021, as        shown in FIG. 3 b and FIG. 4 b;    -   (3) forming a pattern including a source 023 and a drain 024 on        the gate insulating layer 04 through a single patterning        process, as shown in FIG. 3 c and FIG. 4 c;    -   (4) forming a pattern including an active layer 022 and a pixel        electrode 03 above the source 023 and the drain 024 through a        single patterning process, as shown in FIG. 3 d and FIG. 4 d;

wherein, FIG. 4 a to FIG. 4 d are top views corresponding to FIG. 3 a toFIG. 3 d, respectively.

Specifically, taking forming the pattern including the active layer andthe pixel electrode using zinc oxide through a single patterning processas an example, the step (4) in the manufacturing method of above arraysubstrate according to the embodiment in the invention may specificallycomprise:

Fist, depositing zinc oxide 06 above the source 023 and the drain 024,as shown in FIG. 5 a;

Then, applying photoresist 07 on the zinc oxide 06, as shown in FIG. 5b;

Next, performing exposure and development on the photoresist 07 using amask plate, as shown in FIG. 5 c;

Then, performing plasma treatment on parts of the zinc oxide 06 notbeing covered by the photoresist 07 so as to obtain a pattern of thepixel electrode 03, as shown in FIG. 5 d;

Preferably, in order to obtain an optimal effect of the plasmatreatment, after performing exposure and development on the photoresist07 and before performing plasma treatment on parts of the zinc oxide 06not being covered by the photoresist 07, a polishing process may beperformed on the zinc oxide 06.

Finally, peeling off the remained photoresist 07 so as to obtain apattern of active layer 022, as shown in FIG. 5 e;

In addition, array substrates shown in FIGS. 2 b, 2 c and 2 d may bemanufactured in the similar manner, description of which is omittedherein.

In the manufacturing method of above array substrate according to theembodiment in the invention, the pixel electrode and the active layerare formed through a single patterning process, wherein three patterningprocesses with mask in total are used in manufacturing the patternincluding the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode as shown inFIG. 2 a and FIG. 2 b, and four patterning processes with mask in totalare used in manufacturing the pattern including the thin film transistorand the pixel electrode as shown in FIG. 2 c and FIG. 2 d. However, inthe manufacturing method of array substrate in the prior art, sixpatterning processes with mask in total are used in manufacturing thepattern including the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode,therefore, compared to the prior art, in the manufacturing method in theinvention, the number of the masks can be reduced, the manufacturingprocess is simplified, the production cost is saved, the productivity isincreased, and the manufacturing time is shortened.

It should be noted that, in the manufacturing method of above arraysubstrate according to the embodiment in the invention, the patterningprocess may only include the lithography process, or, may include thelithography process and etching steps, as well as other processes forforming predefined patterns, such as printing, ink ejecting and so on.The lithography process refers to a process including film generating,exposure, development, etc. for forming a pattern using photoresist,mask plate, and exposing machine. In specific implementing,corresponding processes may be selected according to structures to beformed in the invention.

Embodiments of the invention provide an array substrate and amanufacturing method thereof, a liquid crystal display panel and adisplay device, the array substrate comprises a base substrate, and thinfilm transistors and pixel electrodes provided on the base substrate,wherein the thin film transistor comprises a gate and an active layerwhich are insulated from each other, and a drain and a source which areelectrically connected to the active layer, a pixel electrode iselectrically connected to a drain, wherein the pixel electrode and theactive layer are provided in the same layer, the material forming theactive layer is transparent oxide semiconductor material, the materialforming the pixel electrode is a material obtained by performing plasmatreatment on the transparent oxide semiconductor material. In the abovearray substrate, the active layer is formed of transparent oxidesemiconductor material, and the concentration of carriers in the oxidesemiconductor material may be increased by performing a plasma processon the oxide semiconductor material, thus the pixel electrode may bemanufactured by using the oxide semiconductor material used formanufacturing the active layer, thereby the pixel electrode and theactive layer can be provided in the same layer.

As such, when the array substrate is manufactured, no new patterningprocess for manufacturing the pixel electrode is required, and theactive layer and the pixel electrode can be manufactured simultaneouslyby only changing pattern of corresponding film layer, thus the number ofthe masks can be reduced, the manufacturing process is simplified, theproduction cost is saved, the productivity is increased, and themanufacturing time is shortened.

It will be appreciated that, the foregoing embodiments are exemplaryembodiments merely for describing the principle of the presentinvention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. A person ofordinary skill in the art may make various variations and improvementswithout departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention.However, these variations and improvements are considered to be withinthe protection scope of the present invention.

1. An array substrate comprising a base substrate, and thin filmtransistors and pixel electrodes provided on the base substrate, whereinthe thin film transistor comprises a gate and an active layer which areinsulated from each other, and a drain and a source which areelectrically connected to the active layer, a pixel electrode iselectrically connected to a drain, wherein the pixel electrode and theactive layer are provided in the same layer, the material forming theactive layer is transparent oxide semiconductor material, the materialforming the pixel electrode is a material obtained by performing plasmatreatment on the transparent oxide semiconductor material.
 2. The arraysubstrate of claim 1, wherein in the thin film transistor: the activelayer is provided above the drain and the source; and both of the drainand the source are provided above the gate.
 3. The array substrate ofclaim 1, wherein in the thin film transistor: the active layer isprovided above the drain and the source; and the gate is provided abovethe active layer.
 4. The array substrate of claim 1, wherein in the thinfilm transistor: both of the drain and the source are provided above theactive layer; and the gate is provided below the active layer.
 5. Thearray substrate of claim 1, wherein in the thin film transistor: both ofthe drain and the source are provided above the active layer; and thegate is provided above the drain and the source.
 6. The array substrateof claim 4, further comprises an etching blocking layer between thesource and the drain and the active layer.
 7. The array substrate ofclaim 5, further comprises an etching blocking layer between the sourceand the drain and the active layer.
 8. The array substrate of claim 1,further comprises a common electrode insulated from the pixelelectrodes.
 9. A display device comprising the array substrate ofclaim
 1. 10. The display device of claim 9, wherein in the thin filmtransistor: the active layer is provided above the drain and the source;and both of the drain and the source are provided above the gate. 11.The display device of claim 9, wherein in the thin film transistor: theactive layer is provided above the drain and the source; and the gate isprovided above the active layer.
 12. The display device of claim 9,wherein in the thin film transistor: both of the drain and the sourceare provided above the active layer; and the gate is provided below theactive layer.
 13. The display device of claim 9, wherein in the thinfilm transistor: both of the drain and the source are provided above theactive layer; and the gate is provided above the drain and the source.14. The display device of claim 12, the array substrate furthercomprises an etching blocking layer between the source and the drain andthe active layer.
 15. The display device of claim 13, the arraysubstrate further comprises an etching blocking layer between the sourceand the drain and the active layer.
 16. The display device of claim 9,the array substrate further comprises a common electrode insulated fromthe pixel electrodes.
 17. A manufacturing method of array substratecomprising forming a pattern including thin film transistors and pixelelectrodes on a base substrate, wherein the array substrate comprises abase substrate, and thin film transistors and pixel electrodes providedon the base substrate, and wherein the thin film transistor comprises agate and an active layer which are insulated from each other, and adrain and a source which are electrically connected to the active layer,a pixel electrode is electrically connected to a drain, wherein thepixel electrode and the active layer are provided in the same layer, thematerial forming the active layer is transparent oxide semiconductormaterial, the material forming the pixel electrode is a materialobtained by performing plasma treatment on the transparent oxidesemiconductor material, wherein a pattern of active layers of the thinfilm transistors and pixel electrodes is formed by using a singlepatterning process; and a plasma treatment is performed on the patternof the pixel electrodes.